People Operations Team Supervisor (maternity cover contract)

We have a rare opportunity for a someone with operational employee lifecycle experience (including payroll) to join our busy People Operations Excellence (POE) team on a maternity cover contract as a POE Team Supervisor.

Our POE teams are responsible for supporting our employees through every stage of their journey with us, and the Supervisor is responsible for the teams' overall activity in their region and the day-to-day management and performance of their team, as well as day-to-day activities and processes.

With a regional focus (covering the UK and US) this role collaborates with POE Specialists across all regions, HR Business Partners, and the wider People Team, in order to ensure we are all working collaboratively, and in line with the same processes and procedures where appropriate, thus providing our stakeholders with a clear and streamlined POE offering.

Key Focus of this role

• Being a first point of escalation for all colleagues on employee lifecycle enquiries.
• Working with the Head of People Operations Excellence to simplify and optimise all processes within POE, actively seeking opportunities to drive team performance, productivity and development, and identifying trends to further optimise processes.
• Suggest improvement ideas and assist with their implementation to improve customer satisfaction or increase productivity.
• Leading by example to encourage and inspire colleagues by demonstrating an excellent work ethic, positive can-do approach, and professionalism at all times.
• Ensuring that your team provides a quality, timely, accurate, professional and friendly service to colleagues​, resolving queries professionally and promptly
• Providing relevant training to POE team members as part of the introduction to the team and for new processes.
• Managing a team of 5 POE Specialists, acting as their coach and mentor, sharing technical knowledge, and providing regular feedback so that they can perform at their best.

AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY & RESPONSIBILITY

• To help with the submission of payroll
• Help to implement the new Workday HRIS system ensuring the POE Team are fully trained and to mentor into Workday experts
• Delegating work within your team in a way that provides the best service to your stakeholders
• Taking ownership of the data your team works with and being ready to provide reports to the Head of People Operations Excellence when required
• Be the Process Expert for Process Manager for the majority of processes, working with the Continuous Improvement team to make relevant changes, update when required and respond to feedback.
• Continuously looking to improve customer service levels, and intervening when these are not being reached so that you can identify the cause and take the necessary action to remedy.
• Monitor and champion the team’s query SLA levels.
• Carry out relevant Internal and External audit activity relevant to the POE team, identifying risks and opportunities where relevant.

LEADERSHIP STYLE (VALUES & BEHAVIOURS) REQUIRED

• A positive, collaborative approach to team management
• Wanting to get the best out of the team, individually and collectively
• Encouraging a mindset of accountability and ownership of one’s role within the team
• Assertive approach to decision making and being able to achieve buy-in where needed

EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

• Managing and submitting payroll
• Excellent communication skills with established relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, internal departments and key contacts.
• A self-driven enthusiasm for continuous learning and development
• Ability to act with integrity, tact and diplomacy with sensitive and confidential information and handle it in a secure and safe manner at all times
• Pro-active problem-solving approach
• Excellent customer service skills
• Good time management skills
• Flexibility to support with additional business as usual activities
• Proven and demonstrable record of working to deadlines with speed and accuracy/attention to detail
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of HR administration.
• Experience of support in leading a team.
• Experience of streamlining processes to ensure an excellent employee experience
• Trusted to access confidential information, with knowledge of compliance, data protection and local employment laws

TECHNICAL SKILLS REQUIRED

• Experienced user of MS Office products and a demonstrated high aptitude for learning new systems, processes and policies
• A strong understanding of the local HR Employment laws per region.
• Strong HRIS skills (including experience of Workday, and prior experience in data processing)
• Able to handle primary decisions relating to escalated issues.
• Able to follow data and compliance protection policies at all times.

* You must have the right to live and work in the UK to be considered for this role. *

We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. That's why we work in-person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at conference – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely.

What we offer in return:

• An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture
• 25 days annual leave per year plus a day off for your birthday
• 3 additional discretionary days off during the holiday season at the end of the year
• 4 paid volunteering days each year
• Company funded single cover private medical insurance
• Employee assistance programme – offering 24/7 well-being support
• Share Match – Plan that matches every share purchased with two free shares.
• Pension scheme
• Life assurance, plus optical and medical care

Closing date 15th September 2026 - please note we will be shortlisting alongside advertising so apply at your earliest convenience!

The successful candidate will be able to utilise our balanced working model. We ask that candidates live within a commutable distance of our offices to ensure that as a balanced worker they can make it to our office locations to collaborate as required. There is an expectation for a minimum of 3 days per week in-person time, with those 3 days a week spent in either our office in Milton Park, Oxfordshire or our Colchester office.

Please note that our Milton Park office will be relocating to Oxford city centre in late 2027 / early 2028, offering an exciting new workplace in the heart of the city.

If you have a disability, or face another barrier,  and would like to request an adjustment to assist your participation in the hiring process and/or in the advertised position, please contact [email protected]. Your request will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa Business 

We want all our candidates to shine in our recruitment process. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to ensure you can show us your best self. This could include having the application form in a different format, having more time for questions, or anything else. Please ask us; we are happy to be flexible! Please contact liz.southwick@tandf.co.uk

Being Yourself at Taylor & Francis 

If you’re excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don’t fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and contribute regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life.

Taylor & Francis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in and value diversity of people and thought, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where all colleagues can learn and succeed as their true selves. Taylor & Francis recruits, develops, and retains colleagues without regard to any protected personal characteristics or other non-merit-based factor.

We genuinely care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing, and flexible working. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Taylor & Francis are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are passionate about. To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site: http://www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/careers

Or better yet check out our LinkedIn ‘Life’ Page, highlighting our accomplishments, employees, and company culture. It’s also a good way of meeting our recruitment team, who will be happy to advise you on your journey here at T&F.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/taylor-&-francis-group/life/79e0c27c-afdf-4bbb-84e6-5f8ed5e10bb8/